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About Wilson Diving and Our Store "There is a difference where you go for dive training" has always been Wilson Diving's motto concerning diver education. Established in 1992, Wilson Diving has maintained a full service retail store, travel department, teaching facility and repair center .The reason we've been a leader is because we do it right! For over 16 years, our satisfied customers have been able to come to our one location to fulfill all their diving and snorkeling needs!
Our retail store features the latest in diving equipment from nationally recognized manufacturers.
The repair department is an authorized service center for most major brands of diving equipment
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Our innovative travel department has allowed our staff to lead diving expeditions to exotic worldwide dive destinations as well as local BC diving. The heart of our program however, has always been our teaching program, which is directed by Doug Wilson. Doug's background as a Canadian Navy Clearance Diver for 23 years, ACUC Instructor since 1980,Instructor Trainer since 1989, plus thousands of dives has received national recognition in the field of diver education. Under Doug's expert guidance, the instructional program has been unsurpassed in Western British Columbia! Our training may take a little longer and cost a bit more but then, good training always does. We don't take short cuts.
Our constant search for the best has led to a reliability and dependability that our customers can count on. Drop in to see us and find out why we are different from the rest. The staff at Wilson Diving is happy to answer all your questions, share their experience and help you anyway they can in a light friendly manner. This is what makes our shop different and unique. We still know how to have fun!
Our Staff
DOUG WILSON
Doug tried scuba at 13 in the 60s and became a certified diver in 1975 while in the Army. His love of diving saw him change to the Navy to become a Canadian Navy Clearance Diver in 81, which involved all aspects of diving including underwater mine clearance, EOD, mixed gas diving to 330 ft (HEO2), using re-breathers to 260 ft. The navy diving also gave him the opportunity to be an Experimental Diver at DCIEM where he was involved with the development of the DCIEM Decompression tables, and other projects. He also worked with the navy's 5 man submersible, the SDL (Submersible Diver Lockout). In 1985 he was certified as a diving instructor then Master Instructor and Instructor Trainer in 1988. Doug retired from the navy in 1996 with a military career that spanned 23 years. In that time he has dove all over the world, from the Red Sea to the frigid waters of the Arctic. He also was awarded contract to replace 20,000 pound lift bags to Canadian Navy for the Swiss Air crash.
RAY GASCON
Ray has been diving since the early 90’s. His love of history and wrecks encouraged him to start diving the St. Lawrence/Great Lakes, where a plethora of wrecks and underwater buildings exist in pristine conditions, due to the cold fresh water. His full time occupation as a Marine Engineer for the Navy has allowed Ray the opportunity to dive over most of the world. His experience has led him from the east and west coast of Canada, Caribbean, South America, Australia and Indonesia. Currently Ray has certifications as an instructor for multiple training agencies including ACUC, PADI and CMAS (World Federation).
His passion for showing the sport of scuba to new divers and youth, coupled with his love of wreck and night diving leads Ray to ensure all divers regardless of experience a fun, comfortable and memorable experience in exploring their own love of the sport.
DOUG BIFFARD
Doug started snorkeling when he was 4 years old with gear he borrowed form his uncle (when he wasn't looking). In 1975, Doug signed up for open water certification in Kelowna and dove Okanagan Lake from one end to the other - no not in one dive! From freshwater beginnings Doug moved on to all sorts of diving both sport and light commercial. Exotic dive trips started with a high school road trip with Mark O. (still the best buddy to dive with) to Powell River in 1976, then Mexico a couple of times and followed recently to Hawaii and Rarotonga. After moving to Victoria in 1997 Doug began helping out Doug Wilson with dive instruction. With guidance from Doug W. and Susan Francis, Doug moved through the certification levels and became an open water instructor in 2003. When not teaching diving Doug can be found underwater, counting fish - still studying for that Kindergarten final exam? Well maybe, but really Doug's a bit of a critter nut and is an active REEF survey diver. If you want to know the name of an underwater creature, ask Doug.
Contact Wilson Diving for more information.
